Stardust
by ThePirateSwan
Summary: Stardust AU - Regina casts a spell that drops a star from the heavens, a lonely soul in the darkness of the forest. Rated M for violence and adult themes.


_Prologue_

It's a cold room, candles flickering from wrought iron lanterns mounted between the heavy tapestries hanging on the stonewalls. An ornate chandelier, black and elegant in its twisting leaves and thorns, hangs low from the ceiling casting dancing shadows along the floors. Beneath it is a coffin, metalwork vines curling over the frosted glass surface, a light glow emanating from within.

The witch skims her fingers over the detailing, smiling. Her dark eyes are soft and she leans down to press a gentle kiss to the cold glass. Her love is encased there, her last memory of happiness. And for so long, so very long, she's been desperately searching for a way to bring him back to her. The years had stretched by, desolate and without hope, but she had searched, always searched despite it. There had been no spells, no science that she could find to return his life to him, to make his heart beat again beneath his flesh. She had been so alone, so lost in the absence of his warmth.

But there were whispers, tales of an ancient spell meant to bring the dead back. And she had found them, hunted them down through legend and time, and clawed away the veils that hid it from the world. So she stands there, gazing at the chiseled jaw, the strong full lips, the soft brush of lashes against his cheeks, and smiles, because hope has found her again.

Hope in the darkest of places.

She turns and walks briskly out of the room, dark dress fanning out like mist behind her. Her footfalls echo loudly, wind whistling through the castle as she storms upwards, spiraling staircases and long corridors, until she reaches the atrium, the highest point in her palace. Her hand stretches out, long fingers strained outward and fire forms, thick and serpentine, coiling around her forearm before shooting out to the floor, a blaze igniting as sparks fly around her. Everything is red and gold and brilliant and she moves to a chest placed against the wall.

Inside are herbs and spices, ingredients of varying origin needed for her plan. One by one she takes them out and drops them in the fire, which hisses and cracks as it accepts the tributes. There is a cough from behind her and she turns slowly, lips stretched wide in her glee. In the doorway stands an old man; back hunched slightly from years of years of service, hair a wispy white that frames his square face. His eyes are deep-set and dark, brows furrowed in concern as he watches her. His wrings his hands together nervously, the leathery flesh twisting. He takes a hesitant step forward, and then another, searching the witch's face.

"My dear, please. You don't have to do this." His voice is worn and scratched, a deep rumbling sound she's grown so used to over the years. She walks over to him, her smile now sad as she raises her hands to cup his face in a tender gesture.

"It's the only way to get him back. You have to understand that." One of his weathered hands comes up to settle over hers, the other moving to brush affectionately over her cheek. He's trembling, but that's become a common occurrence in his old age. Nonetheless he works to keep himself steady, tries to reassure her as best he can.

"You can always move on, Regina. You can be _happy_."

"Oh daddy," she sighs. His eyes go wide and he looks down to see her left arm buried deep in his chest, a harsh pressure around his heart and then suddenly he's screaming, pain spiking through his nerve endings as he collapses to his knees. She looks at the pulsing organ in her grasp then back to him, watching as the light fades slowly from his gaze, expression frozen in a mask of horror. "I am going to be happy."

Regina turns, leaving the crumpled corpse behind her, and holds the heart close to her chest. She feels the sting of tears pricking at her eyes, the warm slide as one escapes down her flesh. She leans to place a kiss to her final ingredient, the heart of the thing she loves the most. Her voice is soft, a broken whisper.

"I'm sorry daddy. I love you."

And with that she drops it into the flames. The fire burns bright, smoke filling the air with green and purple lightning dancing along inside. Like a dragon, it circles the room slowly, turns upward towards the clear night sky, and shoots up. She watches as it collides high in the heavens, a bright, blinding light exploding wide as a star burns and falls. It blazes a trail through the darkness, dims the moon's light in its wake and crashes in the forest.

The castle shakes, the land shivers, and the witch smiles again. The star has fallen past her borders, but no matter. She will send someone to fetch it for her. Her tears are dry, her eyes alight with anticipation and she feels the laugh bubble up her throat, spilling into the cold air around her in triumph.

"Soon, my love. Soon we will be together again."

**Review?**


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